Page 30 of Heated Takeover

“Yes?” I ask.

“Don’t come to my house. Ever again,” she says.

“I won’t,” I promise. I find it an odd request, but if she had asked me for the moon itself, I would have found a way to get it for her.

I have never forgotten that night on the Ferris wheel with her, and seeing her again makes me realize just how much I want her.

This is more than attraction. It’s an addiction. And I’ll do anything to keep the buzz going.

Chapter 13

Natalie

“Seriously? Why me?” I ask, shaking my head and taking my glasses off to pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Easy,” Dylan answers as she snacks on some kind of skinny protein bar that is clearly not to her liking based on the scrunched-up face she’s making. “He asked for you. Obviously. I mean, you are like his personal assistant now,” she wiggles her eyebrows.

“Excuse you,” I snap back to attention. “I am not his personal assistant. I’m the director of events!”

“Which is why he wants you to go with him to this resort,” she says.

“But it’s an event that was already planned,” I argue while packing my things up. I’m not happy about it, but I am going. “Why do I need to see an event planned by someone else in full swing?”

“I thought you liked things like this,” she says.

“I like planning the events. I don’t like attending them. I prefer to fade into the background when it comes to the actual events. Too many glitzy people for my taste,” I shudder.

“Oh, you’re right. It’s a big party with live music and amazing food, and free booze. There is even the possibility of seeing a celebrity, but you’re right, who would want to go to that?” Dylan says, dripping with sarcasm.

I look at her for a long second before rolling my eyes. “Listen,” I say. “My favorite bar makes amazing cocktails; I’m a good enough cook that I don’t really care about catered food, and unless James Dean has somehow been resurrected from the dead, I am not really interested in famous people.”

“These opportunities are always wasted on you,” she sighs, and I shake my head.

“Bye, Dylan,” I say, walking out of the office.

As predicted, Marcus has a car waiting for us downstairs. There’s a driver and also another very tall, intimidatingly handsome man.

“Natalie, this is Tucker, my head of security,” Marcus says, and the man holds out a hand that nearly makes mine disappear. He looks a little like that guy who plays Thor; I can never remember his name. He is hot, but his name escapes me. I really can’t even remember what he looks like; all I can remember is that he is really hot! My lack of interest in celebrities even extends to those from Marvel movies.

“It’s Tuck,” he says. “And I’m also Ash’s best friend. So if you ever need any dirt on him, I’m your guy,” he says while pointing his thumbs toward his chest.

Marcus humphs and opens the door for me. It’s a three-row SUV, though the back row doesn’t fully constitute as a row for adults. I’m the smallest person here, so I offer to sit in the way back.

Of course, Marcus shakes his head. “No. Tuck can sit in the back.”

“I’m not sure I’ll fit in the back,” he says.

“You’ll figure it out,” Ash says, and I shoot him a look. Tuck gets in the passenger seat and Marcus takes the seat next to mine in the middle row.

“I didn’t know anyone else called you Ash,” I say as soon as we are on the road.

“They don’t,” Ash says quickly in an attempt to brush it off, but Tuck turns himself halfway around in his seat to look at us.

“Only those closest to him,” he says with a wink.

Marcus scowls, and I giggle. Maybe this will be fun after all.

The event is just as Dylan said it would be. Elaborate in all the best ways. It’s not my first luxury rodeo by any means. Mission Events does parties at places like this all the time. But there is something next-level about this particular resort, probably because it’s owned by Ashford. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed.